1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a seal for a disc brake piston/caliper assembly and in particular to such a seal that also functions as a return spring.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art disc brake piston/caliper assembly uses a lathe cut ring in a groove in the I.D. of the caliper to seal pressure and uses a separate all rubber boot seal for excluding dirt and dust. Neither of these elements functions as a satisfactory piston-return spring, therefore, there is usually some drag caused by the pads continuing to rub against the disc. This drag causes premature wear of the pads and can also cause a loss in gas mileage of up to about three miles a gallon in a car equipped with four-wheel disc brakes.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art and to provide a less expensive, easier to install seal which requires less critical machining of the caliper, which also functions as a piston-return spring, and which automatically adjusts the piston position to compensate for normal pad wear.